Packers-Bears Week 2 Dope Sheet

Two years after he co-founded the Packers with Curly Lambeau, George Calhoun began writing a piece called The Dope Sheet, which served as the official press release and game program from 1921-24.

Honoring Calhoun, the first publicity director, the Packers are running this weekly feature as their release, which is being made available to fans exclusively on Packers.com. This is an abbreviated version of the Dope Sheet. To read the full version, download the PDF by clicking here.

After falling to San Francisco in the season opener on Sunday, the Packers turn around on a short week to host the division-rival Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field in a nationally televised contest on Thursday night.

It will mark game No. 185 in the NFL’s oldest rivalry. The Bears hold a 92-86-6 edge in the all-time series, which includes two playoff meetings.

Green Bay has won four straight and six of the last seven meetings between the teams (including playoffs). The Packers have swept the season series twice in the last three seasons (2009, 2011).

The Packers’ current four-game winning streak against the Bears is their longest vs. Chicago since a seven-game streak from 2000-03.

Six of the last eight games between the Packers and Bears (including postseason) have been decided by seven points or less.

Thursday marks Green Bay’s lone NFC North game in the first 10 weeks of the season. The Packers come into the game having won seven consecutive regular-season divisional games, which is tied for the third-longest divisional winning streak in franchise history (see page 2 for more information).

Green Bay enters Thursday’s matchup having won 19 of its last 21 regular-season games at Lambeau Field.

The Packers have won 17 of their last 19 regular-season games (.895), the best record in the league over that span.

This marks the first time in 26 years that the NFL’s Week 2 slate features a Thursday evening contest. On Sept. 11, 1986, the New England Patriots defeated the N.Y. Jets, 20-6, at Giants Stadium.

RIVALRY UNDER THE LIGHTS

Thursday night’s contest vs. Chicago is the first of five scheduled prime-time appearances (subject to flex scheduling) for the Packers this season, which would be a franchise record.

What makes the evening contest against the Bears more notable is the fact that it marks the seventh consecutive season (2006-12) that the NFC North rivals have met in a prime-time game.

The teams have met four times in Sunday night contests and twice on Monday Night Football since 2006, with each club winning three games.

The Packers and Bears have met on a Thursday night only once before, an Oct. 17, 1991, contest at Lambeau Field. That was Green Bay’s first-ever appearance on a Thursday night and this week’s contest will be the Packers’ seventh Thursday evening game in team history.

This will be the 17th time that the division rivals have met in a prime-time contest. Green Bay holds a 9-7 edge in those games (5-5 on Monday Night Football, 4-1 on Sunday night, 0-1 on Thursday night).

Since 2009, the Packers are 8-3 overall (.727) in prime-time games.

WITH THE CALL

NFL Network will broadcast the contest to a national audience. This will be the Packers’ third-ever appearance on NFL Network and their first since Nov. 29, 2007, at Dallas.

Play-by-play man Brad Nessler and analyst Mike Mayock will have the call from the broadcast booth with Alex Flanagan reporting from the sidelines.

The contest also will air as a simulcast locally on WGBA (NBC, Ch. 26) in Green Bay and WITI (FOX, Ch. 6) in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since 1929, heads up the 53-station Packers Radio Network, with Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) calling the action. The duo enters its 14th season of broadcasts together across the Packers Radio Network, which covers 44 markets in six states.

Dial Global Sports radio will air the game across the country. Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Trent Green (analyst) will call the action with Hub Arkush reporting from the sidelines.

Univision Radio will broadcast the game in Spanish to a national audience, with Rafael Hernandez Brito (play-by-play) and Raul Striker Jr. (analyst) calling the action.

The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 93, WTMJ feed) as part of the network’s NFL Sunday Drive.

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:

Packers vs. Chicago Bears:

All-time regular season: 85-91-6

All-time, postseason: 1-1

All-time, in Green Bay: 31-22-0

Streaks: The Packers have won six of the last seven meetings (including playoffs).

One of only two coaches, along with New Orleans’ Sean Payton, to have his offense ranked in the top 10 in total yardage each season from 2006-11.

Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.

Became the first Packers coach since Lombardi to lead the team to a championship game in his second season (2007).

LOVIE SMITH…Is in ninth year as the Bears’ 13th head coach.

With 75 overall wins, ranks third in franchise history behind Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and George Halas.

Has led the Bears to three division titles, two NFC Championship Game appearances and the 2006 NFC crown, the team’s first Super Bowl apperance in 21 years.

Has guided Chicago to three 11-win seasons during his tenure, including a career-high 13 victories in 2006.

Named the AP NFL Coach of the Year in 2005 after he led a worst-to-first revival in the NFC North. The Bears’ six-win improvement from the previous season was tied for the biggest in the NFL that year.

Came to Chicago from St. Louis, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2001-03, helping the Rams return to the Super Bowl in 2001. Prior to that, coached LBs for Tampa Bay from 1996-2000.

THE PACKERS-BEARS SERIES

No two teams have met on the gridiron more than the Packers and Bears. Thursday they face off for the 185th time.

Starting in 1923, he clubs met for 59 straight years until both games in 1982 were canceled as part of a strike-shortened season.

During the 2010 season, the teams squared off in the playoffs for just the second time in the history of the series. With a berth in Super Bowl XLV on the line, the Packers emerged victorious, 21-14, in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field.

The last time Green Bay led the overall series? On the heels of its three straight NFL championships, 1932, when the Packers led 11-10-5. Two months after Babe Ruth allegedly called his shot at Wrigley Field in the 1932 World Series, the Bears stole from Green Bay a fourth straight title (which at the time was determined by league standings). Chicago barely finished atop the league standings, which unlike today did not count ties. Had the league counted ties in standings, the Packers would have won. The next year, 1933, the NFL began determining its champion with postseason games.

NOTABLE CONNECTIONSPackers RB Cedric Benson was drafted by the Bears in the first round in 2005 and played three seasons (2005-07) in Chicago...Packers tight ends coach Jerry Fontenot was a third-round draft choice of the Bears in 1989 and was a mainstay at C in his eight seasons (1989-96) in Chicago...Green Bay wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett finished his playing career in Chicago (1998-99)...Packers director of player development Rob Davis served as Chicago’s long snapper for all 16 games in 1996...Bears head coach Lovie Smith was a University of Wisconsin assistant in 1987, while Bears linebackers coach Bob Babich spent two seasons on the Badgers’ staff (1988-89)...Packers DT Ryan Pickett played in St. Louis for Smith when he served as the Rams’ defensive coordinator…Bears assistant defensive backs/safeties coach Gill Byrd served as the Packers executive director/player programs and community affairs from 1999-2001...Packers T Bryan Bulaga earned all-state honors as a senior at Marian Central Catholic High (Woodstock, Ill.)...Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy was a teammate of Bears wide receivers coach Darryl Drake with the Redskins in 1979...Bears DE Julius Peppers was a key member of the Carolina defenses that Packers defensive line coach Mike Trgovac coordinated from 2003-08...Bears LB Nick Roach is a Milwaukee native who played collegiately at Northwestern...Bears T Gabe Carimi attended Monona Grove HS in Monona, Wis., and played at the University of Wisconsin...Packers secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry played at Penn State when Bears asst. special teams coach Kevin O’Dea was on the staff there…Bears running backs coach Tim Spencer played at Ohio State when Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers was on the staff there…Packers assistant offensive line coach Joel Hilgenberg’s older brother, Jay, was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection (1985-91) at center for the Bears...Former college teammates include Packers G Josh Sitton and Bears WR Brandon Marshall (Central Florida), Packers TE Jermichael Finley and Bears DL Henry Melton (Texas), Packers RB Brandon Saine and and Bears WR Dane Sanzenbacher (Ohio State), Packers CB Casey Hayward and S Sean Richardson and Bears CB D.J. Moore (Vanderbilt), Packers LB Clay Matthews and Bears G Chilo Rachal (Southern California), and Packers G/T Don Barclay and Bears LB J.T. Thomas (West Virginia).

LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON

Dec. 25, 2011, at Lambeau Field; Packers won, 35-21.

With their 14th win on the season, Green Bay set the franchise record for most victories in a single season.

It also marked the Packers’ fourth win over the Bears in 2011 (including playoffs) as they became just the second team in NFL history to beat the same opponent four times in a calendar year (1994 Los Angeles Raiders, 4-0 vs. Denver).

QB Aaron Rodgers threw a career-high five TD passes, and with 283 passing yards on the evening, set the single-season franchise record for most passing yards in a season with 4,643 (Lynn Dickey, 4,458).